So Far from You
by Jesus-Freak-For-Ever
Summary: Gabi moves and Taylor goes missing followed by Gabi. The guy set out t ofind them and find themselves up against a mans that has haunted Gabi's past. TroyxG TaylorxC ZxS JxK RxOC. Review's welcome.
1. Chapter 1

High School Musical

I was sitting on the porch crying.

My mom had found out we were moving again. "I wish I could stay here with Troy!" I muttered. My mom would have turned

down the job, but the pay was one we needed since my mother only worked 25 hours a week. The phone rang.

"It's for you, Gabriella." My mom called up.

I went downstairs.

"Hi, Gaby," Said the cheerful voice of my boyfriend, Troy.

"Hi." I tried to sound happy.

"Are you okay? You sound funny." Apparently I didn't try hard enough.

"Yeah I'm fine" I lied.

"Listen, Gaby, I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner next Friday."

"I would love too." I no longer had to try to make myself sound happy.

"Now that's the Gabriella I know. I'll see you at school."

"I forgot about school. See you then, Troy. Bye.

"Bye." We hung up.

I quickly dressed and grabbed my school books. My walked over to me.

"Gaby, can you give this note to Miss. Darbus for me."

"Okay, Mom. See you later."

I went to school, but didn't hear anything Miss. Darbus said. After class I handed her the note and told her it was from my mom.

I caught up with my best friend, Taylor.

"Guess what, Gaby?"

"What?"

"Chad asked me if I would like to go to the movies this Saturday!"

"Wow, that's great." I said with as much enthusiasm in my voice as I could.

"What's wrong, Gabriella."

"I'm…" I checked to see if Troy was around. He wasn't. "I'm moving."

"What! When"?

"I don't know. I haven't told anyone else, though. So please don't say anything!"

"It's going to be a mess around here once you leave. I mean I haven't had a best friend since, like, kindergarten."

Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Like kindergarten." I whispered


	2. Chapter 2

I couldn't sleep I still had to tell Troy.

I went downstairs. I had been moving ever since my dad died when I was three.

"How can I keep starting over?" I asked the air.

I went outside and replayed in my mind everything that had happened ever since I came to East High

"I'm sorry, Gabby."

I was surprised to see my mom standing behind me.

"I'm going to miss it alright."

"I got the moving date earlier."

"When is it?"

"Next Friday."

I froze.

"I have plans that day!"

"I'm sorry, but we're moving back to New York so we have to move earlier. You'll have to cancel or reschedule."

"But, Mom, I was going out with Troy!"

"I wish I could do something about it."

I went to y room and fell asleep crying. I woke up the next day with a slight fever and a headache. I fell back asleep and woke up to find Troy sitting on the chair next to my bed.

"Hey, Gabby, how are you feeling?"

"Horrible. Listen I have to tell you something."

"Okay, you've got my attention."

"I can't go out with you Friday."

"Why?"

"I'm moving back to New York. So can we change our plans?"

"Moving. Wow. Uh…I think so. I'll check." He paused. "How can you be moving NOW?"

"I don't know, but it'll be just like all the other times I moved."

Troy's cell phone rang.

"Yeah. Okay, I'll be right there. I have to go my dad wants me."

"Goodbye, Troy."

"Goodbye."

I always seem to be saying "goodbye".


	3. Chapter 3

My mom was starting to pack today. It was already Saturday, only a week till I move.

"Gabby, have you finished your homework, yet?" My mom called up the stairs.

"Yes, Mom, I am starting to pack, now." I had so many things to pack. I used to only keep a small amount of stuff, but I was sure I was going to stay here.

I finished half of my room and decided to go hang out with Kelsi and Taylor. I arrived at the mall and waited for them. They arrived shortly, although it felt like forever, and we slowly shopped.

"How are you holding up, Gabby?" Kelsi asked.

"I'm holding up. If that's what you want to know, but I'm still crying over it." I knew I could trust my friends.

"I know Sharpay and Ryan have said truce, but since you can't be in the musicals, how do you think Sharpay will react?"

"I imagine she'll be happy and do the musical. I'm sure she's over Troy, I mean she's dating Zeke, right?"

"Who knows with Sharpay?"

"Speaking of the devil, there she is." Taylor said.

"Well, well, well, shopping are we? Care if I join you?" Came Sharpays' commanding voice.

"Sure." I couldn't believe my ears, and apparently neither can Kelsi and Taylor.

I was alone in my room again. It was around midnight and I was finishing packing. Sharpay had been so nice earlier I wondered if she had found out about my moving. My cell phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered wondering who would be calling at this time of night.

"I'm back." He hung up.

I was frozen. He hadn't called since…

"Uh, no," I had to leave as soon as possible I had no idea how he had found us I just knew it wouldn't be good to see him again.

I know my friends were dreading today so was I, but I was happy to be leaving I was still scared about the phone call. I hadn't told anyone about the call it's not like they knew only my mom did, but I didn't want to scare her.

I gave each of my friends a hug, and then I gave Troy a long, passionate kiss. "Goodbye, Gabby." He whispered.

"Goodbye." I finished my goodbyes and reluctantly hoped into the car. My mom climbed in and I waved a final goodbye to my friends.


	4. Chapter 4

I walked into my new house and immediately missed New Mexico. It was hard to move on and with Him back I would

need to be extra careful. I wish I could have told Troy, but there was no need since I moved. I missed him and the rest

of the guys, already. I would even be happy if I saw Sharpay or Ryan. (I shuddered at the thought.)

I was sad since I could no longer talk to Troy from in New York I knew he was free to date. I knew I could never date

some one else. I loved him. I'm not sure he felt the same way though. Grr… I hate having confused feelings.

"Gabby, I need you t help me unpack the boxes." My mom pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Yes, Mama," I called out. I hated unpacking, but it would give me time to think of all my confusing thoughts.

I walked into my new home and my cell phone rang.

"Hello?" I asked the unknown caller.

"723 Kinsley Lane, New York City, New York." I hung up with the all too familiar voice.

"How'd he find me?" I asked myself.

Troy was in his back yard shooting hoops and trying to grasp the fact that Gabriella was really gone.

"What's wrong, Troy? You haven't made a single shot." His father asked.

"Gabriella moved and I still can't believe it."

"That's too bad. I was growing used to her."

"Really?" Troy asked surprised.

"Yeah, after the musical I started to get used to the fact that she was going to stay around. Come on, your mothers got

supper (**I'm southern**) ready."

Troy and his father walked inside and sat down at the table. Troy went to bed that night still trying to grasp the fact she

was gone. He woke up the next morning and ate a quick breakfast, and went to his room again. His cell phone rang and he got up and answered it.

And he got up and answered it.

A little talk with Chad will be nice.

"Troy, Taylor's missing."

Troy was dumbfounded.


	5. Chapter 5

"What? How?" Troy asked scared.

"I don't know. Her mom said Taylor went to bed around eleven and when Ms. Mackensie

woke up Taylor was gone. She called her cell phone and everything, but she couldn't find

her. She called the police an hour ago." Chad said. He sounded on the verge of crying and

Troy knew it took a LOT to make Chad Danforth cry. He felt so bad for his friend that he

wished there was something he could do to help Chad. Troy hated feeling useless.

"Listen, Chad, they're going to find her, okay? Taylor's going to be okay." Troy said

comforting his hurt friend.

"Okay, Troy. I gotta' go. Bye," Chad said.

"Bye." As soon as Troy had hung up his phone rang.

It was Sharpay.

"Hello. What do you want, Sharpay?" Troy asked annoyed.

"Now that you ad Gabriella aren't together, you want to go out Friday night?" Sharpay

asked, oh, so convincingly.

"I think I have something to Friday night," Troy started, "That doesn't have anything to

do with you." Troy finished getting angry at Sharpay for her wit AND timing.

Not like he'd ever go out with her though.

Gabby's phone rang, waking her up.

"Hello, who is this?" she asked grumpily.

"Your old friend," The male said with laphter in his voice.

Gabby reached to push the 'off' button.

"Don't turn this off! I think you should here what I want to say."

"Why would I?"

"Becouse… I have a friend of yours."

"Gabi, don't listen to him!" came a familiar voice.

Gabi got chills sent up her spine.

**Thank you for reviewing. I hope to update soon.**

**Oh, and if you don't like it you can still review. Flames are allowed (and if you're being nice you can lie. JK)**


	6. Chapter 6

**You make up the ending. Is Taylor going to be found? Is Gabi's secret stalker going to be caught? And will Troy finally be able to tell Sharpay off? It's your choice…you can even make Sharpay die…JK…actually that would be a relief. Thanks for reading and reviewing.**


	7. Chapter 7

**If you want me to continue this story then I must have three reviews and you must understand that this story will be updated probably only once a week. If your okay with that then ask me to continue.**

**Bookworm52**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry I'm not updating. I have writers block**


	9. Chapter 9

I was shocked and scared. My best friend was being held prisoner by a man who haunted my dreams. A man I don't even know the name of. He was a stalker and a murderer and now a kidnapper. Taylor wasn't safe and I am pretty sure neither was Troy, Chad, Jason and Kelsi.

I couldn't take in the fact that my friend's last words to me might be 'Don't listen to him, Gabi'. I was worried about Taylor and my friends, but mostly my mother. She didn't know he was back and I don't want to tell her. I am supposed to be the smart one I had to make a plan.

_Think, Gabi! These are your friends in danger._

"What do you want?" I heard myself say.

"You." His answer was so simple it made my head ache.

"Why do you want me? I am of no use." I answered in a, hopefully, strong voice.

"I will tell you only because I to am smart and know you will only help me if I fill you in on my plan. You are smart and can build anything I tell you to. Your friend is smart as well and I can easily threaten you and fulfill my threats and I you don't cooperate next is Basketball Guy. If you can figure out whom that is. I'm sure you can."

I had to focus on breathing, they were threatening Troy. The only boy I ever liked. This was not on my list of a great day.

"What do you need my help with?" I asked, still in the dark.

"We'll worry about that when you get here."

"How will I get there?"

"You'll be kidnapped of course. Go to the park and bring no one with you. I am armed so don't think of anything and the car will be a black mustang with the hood on."

He hung up before I could answer. My friends were in danger, but I couldn't think of any other way without harm coming to them. I turned off my cell phone incase it rang and blew the only plan I had. I felt so crazy handing myself over to a man who had haunted my childhood. I wish Troy were with me, and then again I didn't want him to be in any danger.

Like I can keep him out of trouble. His every move is watched, especially by Sharpay. I hate that girl. Everyone does, except Zeke, but someone needs to. I think her brother is even growing tired of her.

**TROY'S POV**

I was over at Chad's and we were silently sitting on his couch waiting for news. I pulled out my cell phone and phones Gabi. She needed to know her BF was missing and what else could I do, but sit down and I was getting tired of that. I also wanted to hear her voice, but instead I got a voice mail saying the number was invalid. Just my luck.

I called two more times then gave up. I looked over at Chad he hadn't moved since I got there…four hours ago. I don't know about him, but I was starving.

"Hungry, Chad?" I asked him, although it appeared he didn't even realize I had talked. I was about to talk to him again when I realized that if Gabi had been kidnapped I would want to sulk in my thoughts.

I stood up and went to the door. I was going to see if any of the girls needed help. I hated going to Sharpay's, but she was still Taylor's friend, for the most part. If I'm lucky she'll be shopping and just Ryan will be there and we can have a short chat then I can leave.

I rang the doorbell. Guess who answered it.

Yup. My luck has just been perfect lately, hasn't it?

"Troy, why, I wasn't expecting you here." Sharpay said in a voice that was supposed to sound like honey, but to me sounded like a scratched tape. Of course, Sharpay always had that effect on me.

"I just wanted to see how every one was cooping with the thing Taylor's disappearance."

"Oh, Troy, you don't need to find excuses to come and visit me."

"Good, because I didn't. Is Ryan here?"

"No, he's at Jason's."

"Well, by then."

"You don't want to talk to me?" She sounded astonished.

"Not really." She left with a 'humph' and slammed the door.

I walked the block and a half to Jason's house. No cars were in the drive was, but I expected Jason to be home. I knocked and Jason immediately opened the door. We walked into his room and, sure enough, Ryan was there.

"Hey, Sharpay said you guys would be here." I told them.

"You talked to Sharpay?" My friends said in at the same time.

"I was hoping she would be shopping, but my luck hadn't been oh, so great lately. After I turned her down I walked here."

"What do you want to talk about?" Jason asked.

"Well, you and Ryan are friends with Taylor and since Chad hasn't moved from the couch I was going to see how you were doing."

"We are a type of friend, but still if anyone went missing I would feel bad, no offense to Chad, but I'm glad it's not Kelsi." I looked up to see a red faced Jason. In all my years of knowing him he had never been this red and I wasn't about to let it slide.

"I little red, aren't we, Jay?" I said using the nickname Chad made for him in grade school.

"Yeah, well, what about Gabi, do I see a blush on just a mentioned name? It looks like he has it bad, doesn't he Ryan?"

I was beat red. Yes, me. The star basketball player was a darker color red then I thought possible at just the mention of a girl's name. I will never admit it, maybe on my death bed in a whisper to Gabi only, but I DID have it bad.

"You've been staring at my ceiling for the past five minutes, Troy; I can guarantee it isn't that interesting." Jason laughed in front of me. I realized I had spaced out and looked to see what Ryan was doing.

"If you're wondering I'm doing research on Taylor's past to lead up to something like this. So far, nothing." Ryan said and I saw that he was on his laptop and sitting on Jason's chair.

**NORMAL POV**

With Troy.

Troy was walking home from an exhausting day of confusion. He never thought confusion could cause exhaustion, but it did to him. He walked in his front door and made his way into the room his parents were talking in.

He was about to enter when he heard Gabi's name.

"Don't tell Troy this," His mother was saying, "But I just got a call from he mother and Gabriella has been gone for most of the day and her phone is turned off. She said that she has a feeling that her friend Taylor's disappearance was somehow connected. She's been trying to think of a place that Gabriella would go.

"She hadn't told Gabriella about her friends disappearance and she doesn't think any one called Gabriella and if they did her daughter would keep her phone on for any update. She told me about a stalker they once had and that they had thought he was dead, but it was still possible he was alive.

"There is no name and…"

Troy decided he should pretend he just got home and walk into the living room.

"I was over at Jason's. Did you mind? I forgot to call." Troy said apologetically.

"Well, with that girl being missing I would like it and feel more comfortable if you called every few hours, just till we have more information." His dad said firmly.

"I know and understand. I'll be up in my room." Troy walked up the stairs and went over to his computer and pulled up some information on Taylor. He looked all over, but for two generations the only thing her family had done wrong was exceed the speed limit, like that could lead to kidnapping, and they were the ones with the tickets. This wasn't making sense.

_I wish Gabriella was here._

* * *

Gabi looked around herself she appeared to be in a small room. She glanced at the unconscious figure in the corner and smiled, happy Taylor was alive. She started to wake up.

"Where am I? Last I know o was talking to you on the phone." Taylor asked, suddenly it all came back to her. "How'd you get here?"

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Just do as he says and we should be fine."

"Where are the others?"

"Hopefully, they're fine."

Gabi sighed.

_I think I fell into a trap._

It was the one time she wasn't happy to be right.

**

* * *

**

**I haven't updated in a while, but I will now be updating more since I finished my other story. Thank you those who kept me on their alert list. I am sorry about how long it took.**

**First person to review me will be able to make a character and I will put him/her in the story.**

**If you want. Suggest a name, it doesn't have to be your name it could be of the opposite gender, and I will e-mail the person who gave me a name first and they can make the character profile. Anonymous review won't count since I can't respond to them.**

**Bookworm52**

**Sorry for all grammatical and spelling mistakes.**


	10. Chapter 10

I was shocked and scared. My best friend was being held prisoner by a man who haunted my dreams. A man I don't even know the name of. He was a stalker and a murderer and now a kidnapper. Taylor wasn't safe and I am pretty sure neither was Troy, Chad, Jason and Kelsi.

I couldn't take in the fact that my friend's last words to me might be 'Don't listen to him, Gabi'. I was worried about Taylor and my friends, but mostly my mother. She didn't know he was back and I don't want to tell her. I am supposed to be the smart one I had to make a plan.

_Think, Gabi! These are your friends in danger._

"What do you want?" I heard myself say.

"You." His answer was so simple it made my head ache.

"Why do you want me? I am of no use." I answered in a, hopefully, strong voice.

"I will tell you only because I to am smart and know you will only help me if I fill you in on my plan. You are smart and can build anything I tell you to. Your friend is smart as well and I can easily threaten you and fulfill my threats and I you don't cooperate next is Basketball Guy. If you can figure out whom that is. I'm sure you can."

I had to focus on breathing, they were threatening Troy. The only boy I ever liked. This was not on my list of a great day.

"What do you need my help with?" I asked, still in the dark.

"We'll worry about that when you get here."

"How will I get there?"

"You'll be kidnapped of course. Go to the park and bring no one with you. I am armed so don't think of anything and the car will be a black mustang with the hood on."

He hung up before I could answer. My friends were in danger, but I couldn't think of any other way without harm coming to them. I turned off my cell phone incase it rang and blew the only plan I had. I felt so crazy handing myself over to a man who had haunted my childhood. I wish Troy were with me, and then again I didn't want him to be in any danger.

Like I can keep him out of trouble. His every move is watched, especially by Sharpay. I hate that girl. Everyone does, except Zeke, but someone needs to love even her. I think her brother is even growing tired of her.

**TROY'S POV**

I was over at Chad's and we were silently sitting on his couch waiting for news. I pulled out my cell phone and phones Gabi. She needed to know her BF was missing and what else could I do, but sit down and I was getting tired of that. I also wanted to hear her voice, but instead I got a voice mail saying the number was invalid. Just my luck.

I called two more times then gave up. I looked over at Chad he hadn't moved since I got there…four hours ago. I don't know about him, but I was starving.

"Hungry, Chad?" I asked him, although it appeared he didn't even realize I had talked. I was about to talk to him again when I realized that if Gabi had been kidnapped I would want to sulk in my thoughts.

I stood up and went to the door. I was going to see if any of the girls needed help. I hated going to Sharpay's, but she was still Taylor's friend, for the most part. If I'm lucky she'll be shopping and just Ryan will be there and we can have a short chat then I can leave.

I rang the doorbell. Guess who answered it.

Yup. My luck has just been perfect lately, hasn't it?

"Troy, why, I wasn't expecting you here." Sharpay said in a voice that was supposed to sound like honey, but to me sounded like a scratched tape. Of course, Sharpay always had that effect on me.

"I just wanted to see how every one was cooping with the thing Taylor's disappearance."

"Oh, Troy, you don't need to find excuses to come and visit me."

"Good, because I didn't. Is Ryan here?"

"No, he's at Jason's."

"Well, by then."

"You don't want to talk to me?" She sounded astonished.

"Not really." She left with a 'humph' and slammed the door.

I walked the block and a half to Jason's house. No cars were in the drive was, but I expected Jason to be home. I knocked and Jason immediately opened the door. We walked into his room and, sure enough, Ryan was there.

"Hey, Sharpay said you guys would be here." I told them.

"You talked to Sharpay?" My friends said in at the same time.

"I was hoping she would be shopping, but my luck hadn't been oh, so great lately. After I turned her down I walked here."

"What do you want to talk about?" Jason asked.

"Well, you and Ryan are friends with Taylor and since Chad hasn't moved from the couch I was going to see how you were doing."

"We are a type of friend, but still if anyone went missing I would feel bad, no offense to Chad, but I'm glad it's not Kelsi." I looked up to see a red faced Jason. In all my years of knowing him he had never been this red and I wasn't about to let it slide.

"I little red, aren't we Jay?" I said using the nickname Chad made for him in grade school.

"Yeah, well, what about Gabi, do I see a blush on just a mentioned name? It looks like he has it bad, doesn't he Ryan?"

I was beat red. Yes, me. The star basketball player was a darker color red then I thought possible at just the mention of a girl's name. I will never admit it, maybe on my death bed in a whisper to Gabi only, but I DID have it bad.

"You've been staring at my ceiling for the past five minutes, Troy; I can guarantee it isn't that interesting." Jason laughed in front of me. I realized I had spaced out and looked to see what Ryan was doing.

"If you're wondering I'm doing research on Taylor's past to lead up to something like this. So far, nothing." Ryan said and I saw that he was on his laptop and sitting on Jason's chair.

**NORMAL POV**

With Troy.

Troy was walking home from an exhausting day of confusion. He never thought confusion could cause exhaustion, but it did to him. He walked in his front door and made his way into the room his parents were talking in.

He was about to enter when he heard Gabi's name.

"Don't tell Troy this," His mother was saying, "But I just got a call from he mother and Gabriella has been gone for most of the day and her phone is turned off. She said that she has a feeling that her friend Taylor's disappearance was somehow connected. She's been trying to think of a place that Gabriella would go.

"She hadn't told Gabriella about her friends disappearance and she doesn't think any one called Gabriella and if they did her daughter would keep her phone on for any update. She told me about a stalker they once had and that they had thought he was dead, but it was still possible he was alive.

"There is no name and…"

Troy decided he should pretend he just got home and walk into the living room.

"I was over at Jason's. Did you mind? I forgot to call." Troy said apologetically.

"Well, with that girl being missing I would like it and feel more comfortable if you called every few hours, just till we have more information." His dad said firmly.

"I know and understand. I'll be up in my room." Troy walked up the stairs and went over to his computer and pulled up some information on Taylor. He looked all over, but for two generations the only thing her family had done wrong was exceed the speed limit, like that could lead to kidnapping, and they were the ones with the tickets. This wasn't making sense.

_I wish Gabriella was here._

Gabi looked around herself she appeared to be in a small room. She glanced at the unconscious figure in the corner and smiled, happy Taylor was alive. She started to wake up.

"Where am I? Last I know o was talking to you on the phone." Taylor asked, suddenly it all came back to her. "How'd you get here?"

"I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Just do as he says and we should be fine."

"Where are the others?"

"Hopefully, they're fine."

Gabi sighed.

_I think I fell into a trap._

It was the one time she wasn't happy to be right.

**I haven't updated in a while, but I will now be updating more since I finished my other story. Thank you those who kept me on their alert list. I am sorry about how long it took.**

**First person to review me will be able to make a character and I will put him/her in the story.**

**If you want. Suggest a name, it doesn't have to be your name it could be of the opposite gender, and I will e-mail the person who gave me a name first and they can make the character profile. Anonymous review won't count since I can't respond to them.**

**Bookworm52**

**Sorry for all grammatical and spelling mistakes.**

Gabi and Taylor sat in the corner of the room as the man walked in.

"Now to be polite I will introduce myself to you young ladies. My name is Daniel Ross. I am telling you this, for you will never leak this information. Whether I let you go or if you die." Daniel said. His words were like a threat.

"Why do you want Gabi and me?" Taylor managed to say in a cracked voice.

"Why would I want two smart girls who will do anything I say on account that I can easily dispose of their boyfriends anytime I want."

"Troy is not my boyfriend." Gabi said, quietly, wishing that he was.

"It doesn't matter if you're _really _dating. You both would do anything for each other; therefore it means you care enough about him to do as I tell you. Clear?" Daniel was serious.

He got up and left without waiting for an answer, knowing what their answer would be.

Gabi shrank back down on the wall and tried to fight the tears in her eyes. The song she first sang with Troy was brought to her memory.

_Living in my own world  
Didn't understand  
That anything can happen  
When you take a chance  
I never believed in  
What I couldn't see  
I never opened my heart  
To all the possibilities  
I know that something has changed  
Never felt this way  
And right here tonight_

This could be the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new

Now who'd of ever thought that  
We'd both be here tonight  
And the world looks so much brighter  
With you by my side  
I know that something has changed  
Never felt this way  
I know it for real

This could be the start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new

I never knew that it could happen  
Till it happened to me  
I didn't know it before  
But now it's easy to see

It's a start  
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart

That it's the start   
Of something new  
It feels so right  
To be here with you  
And now looking in your eyes  
I feel in my heart  
The start of something new  
Start of something new

Gabi wished beyond wishes that she could have told Troy she liked. She doubted she would ever see him again. Her father hadn't been able to escape this man so why would she?

**Troy's POV **

Nothing led up to the kidnappings. Troy remembered Gabi mention her father had been killed when she was six. He typed in Howard Montez (I'm bad with names) and it a list of names came up. He clicked on one and started reading.

**Scientist Murdered!**

_Scientist, Howard Montez was murdered late at night on September 6. Sources tell us that his wife was on a business trip and his daughter down the hall. No one knows why this murderer did not go after his six year-old daughter Gabriella. _

Troy gasped at the next paragraph.

_Ever since his first wife had been murdered Montez has been saying that the man who murdered his wife was still out there. Now we have reason to believe he is died. A man was found outside Montez's house and had his hand on the gun. The gun has been checked and the only finger prints on the gun belonged to the man._

_Montez's coworker Daniel Ross said that he had many enemies and people threatened him every day, yet none of them seemed to be the murdering kind. As soon as Mrs. Montez heard of her husband she took a flight home and faced the fact that she was a widow and had to raise her 6 year-old daughter by herself. The police decided that the man found outside the Montez household, Jim Rock, was indeed the murderer. No other suspects were found._

Troy was shocked at the news and called Jason and Ryan and Chad, to meet at his house in half an hour. This was going to be a long night, especially with them missing the brains, not that the others weren't smart, but Gabi and Taylor were defiantly the smartest.

**Half an Hour Later**

Everyone was shocked when Chad actually showed up.

"How are you, dude?" Jason asked.

"Fine, Troy you said that you found something surprising out." Chad said trying not to lose it.

"Yeah, Gabi's missing, too." Troy whispered so quietly that they barely heard him.

"Gabi's missing?" Chad asked.

"Do you think they'll go after, Kelsi or even Sharpay?" Jason asked.

Troy just handed them the news clip he had printed out. They all were shocked when they finished reading.

"I think that Taylor was only being used as way to get Gabi to cooperate." Troy said finally.

"Oh, so Taylor gets kidnapped only because she's friends with Gabi, great." Chad muttered.

"I would prefer that nobody was missing, but if Taylor was only bait that means that she is more than likely alive. If whoever this is ki…got ride of Taylor, then Gabi wouldn't help him."

Chad sat up straight against the wall and you could tell he was thinking everything over.

He finally spoke, "I think we should find this Ross guy, ask him what he knows. Ryan grabbed Troy's laptop and went to look for an address or something.

"We know that this man is slick if he's got Taylor and Gabriella without leaving a trial." Jason said, still shocked.

"Who said he didn't leave a trail?" Ryan said from his position on Troy's desk.

"What did you find?" Chad asked.

"Nothing, but how would Gabi's mother not know if she was kidnapped in the middle of the night."

"While I was waiting for you I called Mrs. Montez and she said that Gabi had been talking to the phone with someone late last night." Troy said.

Everyone thought for a minute.

"I have a theory!" Ryan said, startling Troy. "What if he called Gabi and put Taylor on the phone. Then he would threaten her and Gabi would do as he said. She could have walked right into danger to make sure that that Taylor was okay."

Troy got out his cell phone and dialed Gabi's home phone. Thankfully her mother picked up.

"Hello Mrs. Montez. If Gabi had gone anywhere where would she go?"

"She has only been to the park."

"Thanks Mrs. Montez." Troy hung up.

"The park near Gabi's new home. Her mother said that was the only place she had been."

**At the Park**

A girl sat on the bench when Troy showed up. She had light brown hair and it was shoulder length. She looked as if she had slept there.

"Excuse me, but have you been here a while?" Troy asked.

She nodded.

"Did a brunette come by here?" He asked.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"How old are you?" He asked again.

"Seventeen," She looked sixteen.

Jason, Chad and Zeke pulled up and walked up to the girl.

"You look a lot like Howard Montez' first wife," Zeke said.

The girl winced.

"First wife?" She asked, slowly.

"What is your name?" Chad asked/

"Millie." She answered.

The boy's introduced them selves and they asked her a few questions about Gabi.

"Actually, now that you described her, I did see a girl get into, what looked like a black mustang." Millie said, surprising them that she was now comfortable. "I think I can help you."

**Sorry I haven't been updating. I've been grounded.**

**The new character is Millie.**

**Luvs-Zac-Efron Gave her to me.**

**Attitude: She is very protective of friends and family; she's funny (by **

**Being sarcastic), not afraid to speak her mind, and she's a **

**Girlie-girl, Oh yeah, one more thing she gets ticked when people mispronounce her name! It's Mill-e not My-lee!(Full name Milena)**

**Sorry for any grammatical or spelling mistakes.**

**Bookworm52**


	11. Read It explains a mistake I made

**The last chapter had two chapters in it. So if you skipped over it because it had the beginning of the chapter before then read to the bottom. It is new.**


	12. Chapter 12

**TROY'S POV**

I couldn't believe that Millie would offer to help us when she knew how dangerous this was.

"Are you sure?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Just give me the details and I'll help. I hate when people get away with stuff." Millie said.

Ryan gave her all the details and once we mentioned Gabi's father's name her eyes grew wide and a shocked look came to her face.

"Why are you so shocked? Do you know the person?" Jason asked.

"I've heard the name before and I think I can help find this Daniel Ross guy." Millie looked like she had seen a ghost.

Millie got up and walked towards the cars.

"Do any of you have a computer?" Millie asked.

"I do." Ryan went to Chad's car, which he had ridden in, and opened the trunk. He pulled the laptop from its case and handed it to her. Millie sat down right where she was and started typing.

**RYAN'S POV**

I couldn't believe I had trusted my laptop to a complete stranger! I don't know why I let her even touch it. I sat down behind her and realized she knew what she was doing. She had typed in the name Daniel Ross and it said he had been living in the north part of town (remember they're in New York so it is the next day.) and hadn't been seen in a few weeks. He was actually a suspect when Mrs. Montez was murdered, since he didn't have an alibi, but dismissed him when they didn't have enough evidence for a conviction.

"Do you think he could have done this?" I asked Millie.

"He doesn't have an alibi for the past two murders and he hasn't been seen in a few weeks, and in those few weeks two girls have gone missing, all having a connection to the first murder. I doubt it's a coincidence." Millie looked like something was tormenting

her on the inside.

"Is something wrong?" I asked softly.

"Nope," She didn't say it quickly or wait to long to say it, but I knew she was lying.

"I'll let it go for know, but I can tell you're lying."

I got a little uncomfortable sitting on the ground so I stood up and walked over to the guys, who still hadn't joined us.

"She thinks that Daniel Ross, Gabi's dad's friend, has something to do with this and it actually make's sense." I told the guys all the info that Millie had been looking up and they agreed that it wasn't coincident.

**Normal POV**

Troy, Ryan and Millie got into Troy's car and started driving north, which, if you've ever been to New York, took a very long time considering traffic. Jason and Chad were going to the job he worked at. When Troy parked in front of the house they were surprised that it was a two story house that looked like it could hold the entire basketball team.

"This isn't what I expected." Ryan said.

They walked up to the door and Millie tried the door to find it unlocked. The group of three walked in and saw that every thing was neat and nothing was out of the ordinary. All the rooms on both floors were unlocked and could be examined thoroughly. Nothing was out of place. They split up to examine rooms.

"Hey, guys, did either of you check the basement?" Ryan called from down the stairs

"I didn't even know there was a basement." Millie called from across the hall. Troy turned around and started walking towards the stairs. He heard Millie running down them and soon caught up to her when they stopped in font of the back sliding doors. They opened the door and saw Ryan standing before a closed door.

"How do you know it's a basement?" Troy asked.

"Well, unless you lock a laundry room and have two sheds," He pointed to the wooden structure at the end of the fencing, "then this is a basement of some sort."

"Ryan's right this is defiantly what we've been looking for." Millie said.

"Troy picked the lock and the door swung open just as Ryan's phone rang. Ryan answered it and they waited for him to hang up. His face was blank when he looked up.

"Guy's we got a problem."

**I love cliffhanger because they get you more reviews. Well this is a game my sister taught me. It's the Go game.**

**1. You read the story.**

**2. You think of what you liked about it.**

**3. You push the little purple button.**

**4. You write what you think of my story.**

**5. You click 'submit'.**

**Sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors.**

**Bookworm52**


	13. Chapter 13

**Gabriella's POV**

I woke up to find my legs and arms were bond. My mouth was tapped. I looked over at Taylor and she was in the same position. She looked over at me and I saw the door swing open. I feared that Daniel Ross was back, but no one came in. Then Gabi heard voices, voices that made me want to call out, but the tape preventing her. I glanced over at Taylor she to looked like she was scared and joyful, until we heard what they were saying.

"Guy's we've got a problem." It sounded like Ryan.

"Who was that?" Troy. My heart soared.

"That was the guy we've been looking for on Jason's cell phone."

"So Ross has your friends?" An unfamiliar girl's voice asked. My heart took a nose dive.

"At least Jason and Chad and Zeke, I'm so glad we didn't take Sharpay or Kelsi with us." Ryan said.

"We can just let him have them. Millie, can you get us to where he worked?"

"Yeah," Millie answered.

Then the door shut. I cried as I thought of who this girl might be. They had left us here. We were right in front of them and they didn't see us. At least they knew who they were looking for. If they got called away then they would come back. Right? And Ross said he wouldn't hurt Troy as long as I cooperated. Right? I wish I could help them, but wishes don't come true. 0

**Troy's POV**

I felt like we had left something behind as we were driving toward the abandoned computer factory. It was close to the border with New Jersey. I only saw Chad's car. Maybe they had left.

"Do you think this is a trap?" Millie asked.

"I hope not." Ryan said. I think that Ryan was starting to like Millie. He trusted his laptop to her.

"Come on." I said as I walked to the door. We got to the door and I had an idea.

"Wait! What if this is a trap? I think only one of us should go down there." I said.

"Agreed," Ryan and Millie said at the same time.

"I'll go down there and you two go back to Ross's house. I feel like we missed something big in that basement." I said.

"Are you sure you want to go down there?" Ryan asked.

"Yes, now go, before you're seen or something." Ryan and Millie left with my car and I slowly opened the door. It creaked and I held my breath. When nothing happened I opened it a little more and slipped inside. It looked like it hadn't been used in years instead of weeks. I carefully walked on the tile floor and peeked in all the open doors. There was a closed door at the end of the hallway.

I put my ear to the door.

"I won't shoot if you don't move." I heard a voice. Ross. "I don't like people snooping around my stuff. When all your friends show up then we can get down to business. I plan on letting the black girl go." I hated the way he said 'black'. Taylor was black, but that didn't make her different. "I need the Montez girl dead. Her father stole my job from me and gloated about it. He had already stolen most of my money from me. I killed his wife. Then he got happy again, so instead of killing his new wife I killed him. Later I found that he and his first wife had had a daughter. Gabriella isn't Mrs. Montez's child."

Gabi looked too much like her mother for that to be true. I had seen a picture of Mr. Montez first wife and Gabi looked nothing like her.

_Gabi doesn't look like her, but who does?_ A voice asked in my head.

"Millie," I said a little too loudly. I heard footsteps and the door opened. I was pulled in and looked into _his_ eyes. They were cold and hard. His face was well groomed and he didn't look like a killer…besides the eyes.

"Spying, huh? Well you can join your friends over there." He looked out the door. "Hey, where is that other boy?"

"He and a friend went to call the police." I lied. It was necessary. His face tensed up and he glared at me angrily.

"I have not spent the last seventeen years murdering to end up in prison." Something about him admitting to being a murderer made everything seem even more depressing.

"Well it looks like your going to have to." I didn't know what possessed me to say that, but it was a teenager thing to do, meaning, BIG MISTAKE. He took the gun in his left hand and aimed it at me. Without having the chance to move much, I felt a great pain in my lower stomach. The pain was unbearable and I blacked out.

**Sorry it's been so long,**

**Please review.**

**Bookworm52**


	14. Chapter 14

**Ryan's POV**

_I think I'm beginning to have a crush on Millie!_

She was driving back to the house.

"I hope Troy's okay." Millie said.

We turned into his driveway and went around the house to the backyard. Millie tried the gate. It was locked.

"I guess we're going to have to jump the fence." I said calmly.

"Jump the fence?" Millie looked scared.

"Have you ever jumped a fence? It is so easy?" I said.

"I once tried climbing a six foot fence, but I fell and gat a sprain." Millie admitted.

"I'll help to up. Now, put your foot in the holes and I'll make sure you don't fall." She put her foot in the hole and I pushed her up as she moved from hole to hole. Finally, she was at the top. "Jump down."

"I can't. That's how I sprained my knee." Millie said. I climbed up the fence and jumped over in seconds. I put my hands on her waist and she jumped down. It was a good thing I was used to catching Sharpay or I would probably have dropped her. We walked over to the door and I opened it. I walked in front of Millie.

We reached the bottom of the stairs and I turned around. Taylor and Gabi were both asleep on the concrete. I walked over to them and saw how we had missed them earlier. Their mouths were tapped and their legs and arms were bond. I shook Taylor while Millie shock Gabi. When Taylor didn't wake up I had no choice, but to rip the tape from her mouth. As soon as I got it off she woke up screaming, waking up Gabi.

"Taylor, Gabi, It's me, Ryan." I said loud enough that they could both here. Millie ripped off Gabi's tape. We undid their arms and they undid their legs.

"Where's Troy-?"

"Where's Chad-?" The girl said simultaneously.

"I'm sure there fine." Millie said.

"I don't know why he was after me. He said something about building something." Gabi whispered.

"He thinks you're me." Millie said. I looked up at her, shocked.

"Ross killed my mother a few days after I was born. I was born prematurely so I had to stay in the hospital while mom went home. He got remarried months later and then Gabi was born when I was a year old."

"I remember you. I know that you lived with us until dad died then you disappeared. We though you were dead." Gabi said shaking.

"Let's get back to Troy." Taylor said.

**Normal POV**

**With Troy**

Troy was lying on the ground unconscious after being shot in the stomach. Nobody knew what to do. No one talked. They heard a door open and hoped it was the police. Ryan walked in. Apparently he had had a plan, before he saw his friend lying on the floor. Ryan mouthed the word 'alive' and Jason nodded. Ryan seemed satisfied with that answer and looked at Ross.

"I just wanted to tell you that a locked basement is very predictable and that you had had the wrong girl all along. I would explain, but I would be easier to show you." Ryan said confidently. Millie walked in and sighed.

"What exactly were you planning to do with me?" She asked

"If you found those girls then were are they?" Ross asked.

"Calling the police," Ryan said.

"Troy said you guys already called the police." Jason said.

Ryan stared at him, "It appears he lied then."

Ross took a glance at Millie and his eyes glistened in delight. Ryan got angry and clenched his fists. He was going to shoot Millie. Ryan stepped forward diagonally to make it seem like he didn't know his friend was in danger.

"What are you so happy about?" Ryan asked.

"I am just so glad…" He was cut off by sirens. He looked out the window. A group of cops were coming in. Ryan took his chance and lunged forward. His hands landed on the gun. He fought Ross over it. Then a terrifying sound came for the second time that day. A gun shot.

**Gabi's POV**

A gunshot rang through my ears and the police hurried. Taylor and I stood out side waiting. An ambulance showed up. That reminded me that some one could be dying. Five minutes passed and they were carrying a dead Daniel Ross on a stretcher. I saw a bullet hole through his head. One of my friends had killed some one.

They carried some one else out. I saw his face.

_Troy._

Troy had been shot. I ran up to the ambulance they were loading him in.

"Please, let me go wit him." I begged. They decided that I could come and I climbed into the ambulance and was relieved when they said he was going to live.

A realization came to me. Troy hadn't been the one to shot Ross. He hadn't killed anybody. Her father's killer was dead and Troy was innocent.

**Millie's POV**

It took me a second to realize that Ryan was okay. The police and paramedics came and took care of Troy and Ross. My father's killer was dead. I had waited forever for him to get this, but I hadn't wanted it to be Ryan who had shot him. He was seventeen (I made him older than Sharpay) and had shot some one. One by one the others went to check on Troy. I couldn't move. I like Ryan a lot and to see that pained look on his face hurt me. I forced my legs to move toward him. I knelt down beside him and out my hand on his shoulder.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked softly.

"I'm not sure." Ryan said honestly.

"Why'd you do that? The cops were here." I asked.

"A saw a look in his eyes, he was to shoot you." Ryan whispered.

Ryan had lunged forward, grabbed a gun, and ended up killing someone for me.

"I wish you weren't the one who had shot him." I said my voice breaking.

"Me either." Ryan's voice was now low enough that I ha to lean down further to hear him. "I didn't want any of my friends to get hurt more than they already have." He paused for a second. "Will you do me a favor?"

"After you saved my life I owe you more than a favor."

"Don't tell anyone it was me. Obviously Chad, Jason and Zeke know, but can you ask them not to tell anyone, especially not my sister."

"Of course I will."

"I'm glad you're fine."

"I'm more than fine. I don't have to worry about a man trying to kill me every second. I can have a life. The only thing that makes me upset is you sitting here having an emotional war."

He turned to face me. I saw tears in his eyes. Before I could stop myself I wiped them away. Both our faces were beat red. He slowly leaned toward me and his lips met mine. I closed my eyes, still beat red. I kissed him back. I felt a gentle hand touch my face. We sat there for what seemed like an eternity. He pulled away too soon for me. He kept him hand on my face and wiped a lose strand of hair of my face.

No one had ever liked me before and I wasn't sure what to say. Ryan stood up and helped me to my feet. He laced his fingers with mine. I felt the blush coming back. I looked into his eyes again. There was life in them, but I could still see terror. I wasn't sure this day would ever leave him. We walked hand in hand to the parking lot. Everyone had left, but they had been nice enough to leave a car for them. Ryan let go of my hand and went to the passenger side. I got in the driver seat and found the keys in the ignition. I put the car in reverse and pulled out. I drove Ryan to the hospital Troy was at and we walked up to his room. He was awake when we walked in. The expression on his face showed that he knew that Ross was dead, but did not know that one of his friends had been the one to do it.

Ryan's face looked normal as he talked to his friends. They had all been filled on who I was and the entire story. I turned to walk away. These weren't my friends. I was almost to the elevator when Gabi caught up to me.

"Where are you going?" She asked me.

"I don't know." I answered truthfully.

"You belong with us. I talked to my mom and she said that she's your mother, too, and that you need a place to stay."

I nodded and followed her to the door. We stopped outside the door.

Gabi leaned closer to me, "I figured that it was one our friends who shot Daniel Ross, do you know who it was? They all seem happy."

I shook my head, "No." I hated lying, but I promised Ryan. We walked in the door and Gabi walked over to Troy and gave him a kiss. I looked around.

Jason was talking to is girlfriend, Kelsi, on the phone. Zeke was talking to Ryan's sister, Sharpay on the phone, and Taylor and Chad were sitting next to each other on the chair. A room full of couples. I sighed.

I felt a hand grab mine and looked up tosee Ryan smiling at me. I smiled back. He may never fully get over this, but I doubted that was going to stop him from having fun and doing the drama club stuff. He led me to the car and this time he drove.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I want to check on my sister. Since you're going to move down there I'm going to take you to meet my sister. He drove with a smile on his face and I wondered, as I had in the hospital, if his smile was real.

"It's only been a few hours and you're happy again?" I asked suspiciously.

"I realized that I did nothing wrong. I defended myself and my friends and my…girlfriend?" He whispered.

"Yep, you defended us. I'm here to prove it." I said with a smile.

He kissed my hand and drove on.

Maybe he would get over it.

_The End_

**I hope you like it. I will not be making a sequel. Please review. The chapter is four pages long. Enjoy. **

**Bookworm52**


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